Bear with me while I explain myself ...
After Earth, the movie starring Jaden Smith and his father Will Smith, received mix reviews from the critics and the public alike and has so far struggled to make a profit.
Conversely, 12 Years A Slave, starring one of my favourite British actors, Chiwetel Ejiofor, has been nominated for two Oscars while Django Unchained, The Butler and Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom have all received strong reviews.
So why do I believe that After Earth is more significant than all of the above? Because it is one of the few examples of a big budget film that completely eschews the stereotypical portrayal of a black lead actor.
In the movie, Will Smith is a giant among men. He has no vices, is a family man, a dutiful soldier and revered by all who know him. By the end of the movie, his son played by Jaden also goes on to become just as fearless and accomplished as he. No mention is made of the colour of their skin and although the leads are both black, it is completely incidental to the plot.
Contrast this with 12 Years A Slave directed by the uber-talented Steve McQueen. Although it is undeniably an amazing movie, the plot follows the well-worn path of showing a black man, cruelly tricked and oppressed by evil white men. Although executed extremely well this is not a new idea.
What Will Smith has done is create a film which doesn't just make black people feel angry and white people feel at best guilty and at worst pity. Instead, it creates a new narrative - one where both black and white moviegoers can come away with a feeling of respect, admiration and even a little jealousy towards the protagonists. The unapologetically positive depiction of the black leads presented in After Earth is extremely rare, especially in such a big budget movie.
I believe more movies like After Earth need to be made. Films like this will in the long run, have more of an effect on changing the perception the public has of black people than any movie about, slaves, servants or the downtrodden ever could.
In case you were wondering, I have watched After Earth and found it to be a very enjoyable movie.
After Earth, the movie starring Jaden Smith and his father Will Smith, received mix reviews from the critics and the public alike and has so far struggled to make a profit.
Conversely, 12 Years A Slave, starring one of my favourite British actors, Chiwetel Ejiofor, has been nominated for two Oscars while Django Unchained, The Butler and Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom have all received strong reviews.
So why do I believe that After Earth is more significant than all of the above? Because it is one of the few examples of a big budget film that completely eschews the stereotypical portrayal of a black lead actor.
In the movie, Will Smith is a giant among men. He has no vices, is a family man, a dutiful soldier and revered by all who know him. By the end of the movie, his son played by Jaden also goes on to become just as fearless and accomplished as he. No mention is made of the colour of their skin and although the leads are both black, it is completely incidental to the plot.
Contrast this with 12 Years A Slave directed by the uber-talented Steve McQueen. Although it is undeniably an amazing movie, the plot follows the well-worn path of showing a black man, cruelly tricked and oppressed by evil white men. Although executed extremely well this is not a new idea.
What Will Smith has done is create a film which doesn't just make black people feel angry and white people feel at best guilty and at worst pity. Instead, it creates a new narrative - one where both black and white moviegoers can come away with a feeling of respect, admiration and even a little jealousy towards the protagonists. The unapologetically positive depiction of the black leads presented in After Earth is extremely rare, especially in such a big budget movie.
I believe more movies like After Earth need to be made. Films like this will in the long run, have more of an effect on changing the perception the public has of black people than any movie about, slaves, servants or the downtrodden ever could.
In case you were wondering, I have watched After Earth and found it to be a very enjoyable movie.
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